Happy 13th birthday today to our daughter Lexie. Lexie is my cooking and food buddy. She loves to try new foods and enjoys eating almost any cuisine. One thing she and I enjoy is watching Food Network. We have our favorite shows that we watch together, and I am amazed at what she has learned. One show we enjoyed was Alton Brown's "Feasting on Asphalt, The River Run," where Alton and a crew motorcycled up a route along the Mississippi River passing close to our area all the way to the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Along the way he visited restaurants and explored all kinds of regional foods. The release of the cookbook by the same title sparked our interest, and that is what I am sharing with you today.

Riz Au Lait (Rice Pudding)

Courtesy of St. Joseph's Plantation, Vacherie, La.

1/2 cup uncooked white rice

1 quart whole milk

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

4 large egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

In a 4-quart saucepan, combine the rice, milk and water. Place over medium heat, cover, and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep an eye on this, as the milk has a tendency to boil over. The rice should be fully cooked and soft. Remove from the heat. When the rice is done, place the sugar and egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly add small amounts of the rice mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Once you have added half of the rice mixture to the egg and sugar, return this to the saucepan and place over low heat. Add the salt and vanilla and cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and ladle the pudding into 8 (8-ounce) ramekins. Sprinkle top of each with a little cinnamon. Yields 8 servings.

BBQ Pork Ribs, aka 'Breakfast Ribs'

Courtesy of Jim's Cafe, Greenville, Miss.

2 onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

4 pounds country-style pork ribs

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons beef base

1 (28-ounce) bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce

2 teaspoons hot sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a 10-quart stockpot half full of water. Add the onions, garlic and celery and bring to a boil over high heat. While the water is coming to a boil, toss the ribs with the salt and pepper. Once the water comes to a boil, add the beef base and the ribs. Parboil the ribs for 40 minutes. Remove the ribs from the stockpot and place them in a large roasting pan. Pour 1 cup of the cooking water into the roasting pan. Roast for 45 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the oven. Combine the barbecue sauce with the hot sauce and spread over the ribs, tossing to coat well. Return to the oven for 15 minutes, or until warmed through. Yields 4 to 6 servings.

Koolickles

Courtesy Joe's White Front Cafe, Rosedale, Miss.

1 gallon jar kosher dill pickles

2 packages unsweetened dry cherry Kool-Aid

1 pound sugar

Drain the liquid from the pickles into a large container. Add the Kool-Aid mix and the sugar to the liquid and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove the pickles from the jar, slice them in half lengthwise, and return them to the jar. Return the liquid to the jar of pickles. Not all of the liquid will fit, but make sure the pickles are completely covered. Place in the refrigerator and let sit for 1 week before serving.

Loose Meat Sandwich

Like those served at the Maid-Rite Restaurants throughout Iowa and Illinois

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 medium onion, very finely minced

(This is important: a fine chop won't do. But don't be tempted to use a food processor or you'll end up with a watery mess.)

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Place the beef and onion in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the beef is completely cooked through but not browning, 8 to 9 minutes, constantly mashing the beef with a potato masher in order to break the pieces into smallest possible. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Using a hand mixer, mix for another 2 to 3 minutes on high. Serve on hamburger buns with ketchup, mustard, cheese and pickles. Yields 6 sandwiches.

Mess

Courtesy of the Great Alma Fishing Float, Alma, Wis.

1 medium potato, grated

1/4 cup diced sausage

1/4 cup diced bacon

1/4 cup diced ham

2 tablespoons chopped smoked fish, optional

1/4 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

3 large eggs

Pinch of seasoned salt

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup sauerkraut

Toast

Heat a griddle over medium-high heat. Add the potato, sausage, bacon, ham and fish and fry until browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the onion and bell pepper and fry until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Scramble the eggs on the griddle, then add to the potato mixture and stir to combine. Season with seasoned salt and pepper. Place the mixture on a plate and top with the cheese. Heat the sauerkraut on the griddle, then place it over the cheese. Serve the toast on the side. Yields 2 servings.

I hope you have enjoyed this little culinary journey up the Mississippi River valley through the writings of Alton Brown. The book is a wonderful book and is available at our public library. Have a great week, and until next time, happy birthday Lexie, and happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.